


no questions, no lies

by expectopatronuts



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Campaign 2 (Critical Role), Episode: c02e024 The Hour of Honor, F/M, Missing Scene, Post-Episode s02e24, Start of a Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 06:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20559824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/expectopatronuts/pseuds/expectopatronuts
Summary: “Caleb?” Jester asked. “Who is Astrid?”





	no questions, no lies

“Caleb?” Jester asked.

They were on the Crispvale Road heading north, and the both of them, without meaning to, had fallen a little behind. The sky was a dull grey that hid the twilight and made the world seem colder than it was. Nonetheless, Jester could see the little puff of Caleb’s breath when he answered without looking up from his book. 

“_Ja?_”

“Who is Astrid?”

Jester hadn’t thought anything of the question, she wasn't even sure why she had asked, but Caleb went very still. When he looked up there was something indecipherable in his eyes.

“How do you know that name?”

Jester blinked. “You don’t remember?” she said. “Well, I mean, you _were_ pretty drunk…” She trailed off. The thought that he might not remember their dance suddenly made her a little sad. “You don’t remember anything?”

He snapped his book shut, turning all his attention to her. Suddenly, she found his blue eyes a little unnerving.

“What did I say?” he asked. And then, “What happened? What did I do?”

She thought she heard a note of panic in his voice.

“Nothing happened,” she hastened to reassure him. “We just danced.” He said nothing. The silence stretched between them until Jester broke it, trying for a smile. “You were pretty good. Though you _did_ trip twice.”

“Yes, well,” he said, scowling. “I was drunk.”

“You did very well on the drinking contest, though. It was very impressive.”

He cleared his throat. “Thank you,” he said. Jester thought he might say something else, but he was silent for a moment. When he spoke next, his voice was very quiet. “And Astrid?”

Jester fidgeted with her amulet for a second. Then she looked up and met Caleb’s eyes.

“You called me that,” she said. “You thought I was her.” For some reason, saying it made her feel a weird pressure in her chest. “You said she was a better dancer than you, so I guess that means _I_’m also a better dancer than you,” she added, trying to keep her voice light.

She thought she had done a pretty good job of it, but Caleb didn’t laugh. He looked stricken.

“Jester, I—” He broke off. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“You said that yesterday, too,” she said. “It’s okay, Caleb,” she said when his expression didn’t change. “I’m sure she also thinks of you when she dances with other people.”

He shook his head.

“I don’t think she does, no,” he said almost inaudibly. “But it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I—” He swallowed. “I was unfair to you.”

He said it without looking at her. He was ashamed, Jester realized. Suddenly, she wanted to hold his hand and tell him everything was alright, everything would be alright, she would _make_ it be.

Instead, she clutched her amulet in her left hand until she could feel it digging into her skin and somehow managed a smile.

“It wasn’t unfair. You didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. “I still had a lot of fun.”

Caleb was silent for a moment. He looked like there were a million things he wanted to say. He stroked Frumpkin, who was napping curled around his neck.

“I didn’t know you played piano,” he said in the end.

Jester smiled a little and let him change the topic, despite the fact that he hadn't answered her question. _Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies_. The Traveller had said that to her, once. 

At least, she thought, he remembered their dance.

·◊◊◊· 

-fin-

**Author's Note:**

> hello friends and enemies, this is my first time writing for cr but i had some feelings, so here we are. please spoiler-free comments only or i will come for you. this is not a threat, it's a promise.


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